1925 Franklin 11A Prototype

Franklin automobiles from their beginning in 1902 where considered very fine and dependable, often knows as the Doctor's car. Why? The Franklin's are air-cooled. No matter if you live in 50 below or 120 above temperatures, the Franklin was always dependable and never overheated, as was the case for all water cooled cars of the day. The management of Franklin was far more concerned with the performance durability and the reputation than the style of the cars. "Scientific light weight" was their motto.

Franklin was the largest user of aluminum in the world until 1920. In 1923, major dealers of the Franklin cars , lead by Ralph Hamlin, in Los Angeles, told Franklin, that if Franklin did not change the styling of the cars to "modern standards" the dealer network would drop the Franklin. With that threat, they hired famous French designer J. Frank De Causse to redesign the car. De Causse used a "fake" radiator shell and hood ornaments which was all the rage in the 1920s

As in all Franklin cars, it is air-cooled, had a wooden frame and is almost all aluminum, Franklin also had a reputation for being an easy and restful car to drive on long trips because of the very light spring on the foot throttle. This kept the right foot from getting tired.

It holds the distinction of being the first four-cylinder automobile produced in the U.S.